Texas sheriff’s corporal arrested in connection with Riverside fatal hit-run
A now-former Texas sheriff's corporal was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run in Riverside that killed a man who was trying to put gas in his pickup on the shoulder of Interstate 215, the California Highway Patrol announced today.
According to the CHP, Giovanni Ceja, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, was arrested without incident Monday by the Bexar County Sheriff's Department on an arrest warrant issued in Riverside County. Ceja is awaiting extradition to Riverside County on suspicion of murder, manslaughter with gross intoxication, felony driving under the influence causing injury and felony hit and run.
Ceja was a corporal with the Bexar County Sheriff's Department, but he resigned upon his arrest, Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters in Texas. He said Ceja was vacationing in California and had borrowed a vehicle from a relative when the Aug. 7 crash occurred, adding that Ceja drank "a significant amount of alcohol" before getting behind the wheel.
The crash occurred around 1:45 a.m. Aug. 7 on the southbound Moreno Valley (215) Freeway south of state Route 91.
According to investigators, 38-year-old Gilberto Sotelo of Lake Elsinore was putting gasoline into his disabled Chevrolet Silverado on the right shoulder when a Honda Ridgeline struck him and the Chevrolet.
Sotelo was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel.
The driver who struck him fled the scene and continued southbound on I-215, CHP officials said.
On Aug. 9, the Honda the suspect was driving was found at a repair facility in Riverside, and was taken into CHP evidence.
